Acetylene generator and lamp



.FebQlO 1931. w. F, HUN-T ETAL 1,791,595

ACETYLENE GENERATOR AND LAMP Filed Sept. 14., 1927 /7 6 2a /a M m e' 20I j) W 1C INVEVTO 2'2 1 ATTORNEYS.

from an opening within and above the bot- Patented Feb. 10, 1931 .STATESPATENT .FFICE WILLIAM F. .HUNT, F NEW BRIGHTON, AND HERMANN C.,STELLING, OF ORANGE- B'URGH, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO UNION CARBIDEvSALES COMPANY, A CORPORA- TION WEST VIRGINIA ACETYLENE GENERATOR ANDLAMP Application filed September 14, 1927. Serial No. 219,533.

This invention relates to acetylene lamps and to generators ofthe typewhich may be used where a small portable generator is required andespecially to improved means for-feeding water to the carbide.

An object of our invention is to provide an acetylene generator in whichthe water is fed to the carbide and in which the water feeding means isnon-clogging, is provided with a positive closure, and operatesautomatically to cut off the supply of water to the carbide whenthecarbide chamber is removed from the water chamber.

These and other objects of .our invention will be apparent from thefollowing specification having reference to the accompanying drawing inwhich the single figure is a cross-sectional view of a combinedgenerator serves to collect particles of dirt or foreign .matterwhichmight otherwise clog the waterfeedmecha nism. A funnel shapedopening .provided with a cover 16 serves as a means for filling thewater chamber.

A water passage connectsthe water chamher with the carbide chamber andisformed of annular depression le, the upper part of the tube beingbevelled at17 to form a valve seat. A rod 18 is loosely disposed in andextends through the tube 16, being slightsmaller rheumainsideof the tube16 so that the water maypass slowly be tween the rod and the tube. Theupper part of the rod is enlarged'at 19 toincrease its Weight and thusform an inertia member. A protective member 21 surrounds the tube 16.This member may be a spring, a wire screen or a perforated metalcylinder, as shown, and serves to keep the carbide from actual contactwith the tube 16 thus diffusing the water into the carbide in thechamber C. The lower end of the inertia member is beveled to coact withthe valve seat 17 for a purpose to be here inafter described. A screw 22is provided in the carbide chamber directly below the rod 18 and alsofits into the lower end of the cylinder 21 to center the latter. Thisscrew may engage directly with a threaded opening in the bottom of thecarbide chamber but we prefer to employ an intermediate member 28 asshown. A washer is provided between the head of the screw 22 and member23. Suitable means are provided for conducting the gas from the chamberC to a. burner 24 within the lamp housing L. While various gasconducting means may be used, we have found that described and claimedin the copending application of Hermann G. Stelling, Ser. No. 217 ,893,filed September 3, 1927, well suited for this purpose. This means, asshown, consists of a hollow boss 25 in the bottom of the water chamberand a tube 26 leading from this boss to a stabilizing chamber 27 on thetop of the water chamber. The hollow boss contains a scrubber or filter28 of felt, mineral wool or other suitable material, and the stabilizingchamberv contains adisc 29 of filter stone or other pervious materialfor the purpose of controlling the flow of gas by reducing fluctuationsin the pressure of the gas delivered to the burner 24:, which is carriedby the cover of the stabilizing chamber substantially centrally of thetop of the water chamber and coaxial with the water feeding mechanism inthe generator.

The operation of our device is as follows:

In normal operation the screw 22 raises the rod 18 sufliciently so thatthe valve formed by the tapered lower end of the inertia member 19 isclear of the valve seat 17. The water within the chamber 1V slowlypasses down between the rod 18 and the inside of the tube 16 bycapillary action or otherwise, thence through protective member 21 tothe carbide. Since the rod 18 is free to meve both vertically andlaterally in the tube 16, the movement of the lamp when carried er anyvibrations when moving it will automatically cause a relative movementbetween the rod 18 and the inside of the tube 16, the

inertiamember 19 tending to accentuate these relative movements. Thisconstant movement of the rod 13 will cause any forei particles which arenot collected in the depression 14 to pass down through the narrow spacebetween the rod 18 and the tube 16. hen it is desired to shut off ordiminish the flow of water, the screw 22 is screwed upwardly so that theupper end of the screw engages or is close to the lower end of the tube16, thus either cutting off or regulating the supply 0t water to thecarbide chamber 0, as desired. When it is desired to remove the carbidechamber from the water chamber, the former is rotated, disengaging thecarbide chamber from the collar 10. As the carbide chamber is unscrewed,the weighted rod 18 moves downwardly and the beveled part of the inertiamember 19 engages the valve seat 17, automatically cutting oil the feedof water through the tube 16. It is, of course, evident that the watersupply to the carbide chamber C may also be cut oil or re ulated bymoving the screw 22 downwardly instead of upwardly. The taper on theinertia member 19 then engages the valve seat 17 in the same manner thatit does when the carbide chamber is removed. However, when tl e supplyis to be cut off for any considerable time this method. should not beuserL as vibrations would permit a sligl .t eepage of water into thecarbide chamber.

From the foregoing it will be evident that our improved generator andlamp has numerous advantageous features. By arranging the control of thewater feed at the bottom of the generator we are able to mount the lamphousing and the burner on the top of the generator. By a simplemanipulation, the flow of water to the carbide chamber may be regulatedas desired, or positively shut oli' and the water feed mechanismoperates automatically to shut off the water when the carbide chamber isin'icoupled tromthc water chamber, as when recharging with carbide.Furthermore, the water feed mechanism is so constructed that the waterfeed passage is automatically freed from foreign particles which mightinterfere with the proper flow of water to the carbide chamber.

WVe claim:

1. A yer-table acetylene lamp comprising the com ination of a waterchamber having a cover; a carbide chamber below and coupled coaxially tosaid water chamber; mechanism for feeding water from the water chamberto the carbide chamber comprising a water passage connecting saidchambers and coaxial therewith, and means controlling the flow of waterthrough said passage including manually adjustable means extendingcentrally through the bottom of said carbide generator and operable toregulate or shut off the flow of water; a burner on said coversubstantially coaxial with such feeding mechanisi'n; and a housing onsaid cover for said burner.

2. A portable acetylene generator comprising the combination of a waterchamber; a carbide chamber coaxial with and below said water chamber; atube providing a water passage from the water chamber to the carbidechamber and having a. valve seat at its inlet end; a rod extendingthrough said tube and loosely disposed. therein so as to be laterallyand longitudinally movable relatively thereto, an enlargement on saidrod in said water chamber, the lower end of said enlargement providing avalve cooperating with said valve seat, said enlargement constitutingweight means tending to seat said valve and also intensifying lateralmovements of said rod; and means operable to move said rodlongitudinally to unseat said valve and also cooperative with the outletend of said tube to regulate or shut oft the flow of water through thelatter.

8. A portable acetylene generator comprising a water chamber, a carbidechamber disposed below said water chamber, a tube extending downwardlyfrom the bottom of said water chamber, a valve seat adjacent thejunction of said tube and the bottom of said water chamber, a rodmovable radially and longitudinally in said tube, an inertia member atthe upper part of said rod, the bottom of said inertia member beinadapted to engage with said valve seat and means carried by said carbidechamber for raising said inertia member from said seat, said means beingalso adapted to engage the bottom of said tube to close the same.

4. A portable acetylene generator com prising a water chamber, a carbidechamber disposed below said water chamber and movable for disengagementfrom said water chamber, a tube extending downwardly from the bottom ofsaid water chamber, a rod movable radially and longitudinally in saidtube, said rod being provided with an enlarged portion for engagementwith the bottom of said water chamber and adjustable means on saidcarbide chamber for raising the enlarged portion of said rod out ofengagement with bottom of the water chamber when said carbide chamber isin position, said means being further adjustable to engage the bottom ofthe tube to close the same.

5. An acetylene generator comprising the combination of a water chamber;a carbide chamber below said water chamber; a partition between saidcarbide chamber and said water chamber; means for feeding water from thewater chamber to the carbide chamber mounted on said partition, saidfeeding means comprising a tube extending downwardly from said partitionand a rod loosely fitting said tube and provided with an enlargement forengagement with said partition; and adjusting means extending throughthe bottom of said carbide chamber for raising said rod.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which the water feeding meansincludes means for urging the rod downwardly.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5 in which the enlargement on said rodserves as an inertia member to move the rod when said generator issubjected to jars incident to handling and transporting the same.

8. An acetylene generator comprising the combination of a water chamber;acarbide chamber below said water chamber; means including a waterpassage substantially c0- axial with said generator and terminatingadjacent the bottom of said carbide chamher, for feeding water from thewater chamber to the carbide chamber; and means for controlling the flowof water through said passage, said controlling means comprising a rodin said passage, a. valve carried by said rod constantly tending toclose the inlet to said passage, and a screw extending through thebottom of said carbide chamber and manually adjustable from the outsidethereof to operate said rod and valve and also adjustable relatively tothe outlet of said passage to regulate or shut off the flow of waterinto said carbide chamber.

In testimony whereof, we aliix our signatures.

, WILLIAM F. HUNT.

HERMANN C. STELLING.

